Two weeks after the sudden closing of David Brainerd Christian School, former Wildcats football coach Tawambi Settles has been hired as an assistant coach at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.

Settles is one of two additions to the LFO staff, joined by former Sequatchie County baseball coach Shane Roberson. Both hirings are pending approval by the Catoosa County school board but have been recommended by LFO administrators.

Settles, a former McCallie School star who played at Duke University and in the NFL with Detroit, had been David Brainerd's head coach for three years before the school shut down earlier this month due to lack of funds. He will serve as LFO's offensive coordinator.

Roberson was not rehired at Sequatchie County at the end of the last semester and will work with the Warriors' quarterbacks. He also could assist with the baseball program.

"We had two positions that came open recently, and with it being so close to the start of the season, I was worried we were going to be shorthanded," LFO head coach Todd Windham said. "I would've taken over as offensive coordinator, but we were fortunate that Tawambi and Shane became available.

"Everything worked out for the best for us, and now we have two young guys with a lot of energy and who can relate well with the kids."

Settles replaces Toby McKenzie, who left after one season as LFO's offensive coordinator to take a similar position at Boyd-Buchanan. The Warriors' spread offense is similar to the one Settles ran at David Brainerd.

"The concepts are pretty much the same," Settles said. "I will have to learn their terminology and numbering system, but it's not a big transition.

"It was getting late in the game and I was a little scared. The season is just around the corner, and I feel very fortunate that this door opened and Coach Windham allowed me to join his staff."

Nall's polls released

Earl Nall, the TSSAA's technology director, has released his annual preseason prep football rankings, with several area teams earning top-10 spots.

Nall placed teams in their playoff classifications and ranked South Pittsburg No. 1 in Class 1A and Boyd-Buchanan and Ooltewah second in 2A and 6A. Defending state champion Oakland is ranked first in 6A and Trousdale County, which won the 1A title last year, earned the top spot in 2A, where Marion County is seventh.

In 3A, where Alcoa is top-ranked, Tyner is ranked No. 8, McMinn Central ninth, Howard 11th and Polk County 15th. Red Bank is seventh in 4A and Cleveland is eighth in 5A, while in Division II-AA, McCallie is fifth and Baylor is sixth.

Nall has put together his prep performance ratings, a computer rankings poll, since 1993. The poll is based on historical data and has been 70 percent accurate during its 15 years. He updates the rankings weekly, and the top-ranked team in his poll after the regular season has gone on to win the state championship 92 percent of the time.